Astronaut goes to join girlfriend

February 09, 2007|By Houston Chronicle.

HOUSTON — Astronaut William Oefelein has taken a leave from NASA's Johnson Space Center to join girlfriend Colleen Shipman in Florida after the attack on her, allegedly by astronaut Lisa Nowak, a space agency official said Thursday.

Oefelein reportedly asked for the time off Monday after Shipman, an Air Force captain stationed at Cape Canaveral, told him about the early-morning confrontation with Nowak at Orlando International Airport.

Oefelein quickly reported the incident to chief astronaut Steve Lindsey, alerting NASA about the events that have led to charges of attempted murder against Nowak, NASA official Ellen Ochoa said Thursday.

Nowak told police after her arrest Monday that she had merely wanted to talk to Shipman--who was hit with pepper spray.